McBreen at the double for Mariners

Newcastle-born striker Daniel McBreen scored a brace to give the Central Coast Mariners a 2-0 victory over a disjointed Jets outfit in front of 13,112 fans at Hunter Stadium.

McBreen opened the scoring with a crisply taken strike in the 49th minute and he added to his tally in the 66th minute with an easy header on Saturday night.

Mariners fullback Josh Rose set up the first, McBreen's sweetly-timed right foot putting the ball past a helpless Matthew Nash in goal for the Jets.

For the second, Michael McGlinchey delivered a corner straight onto the head of an unmarked McBreen who has now scored against every A-League team except for the newly formed Western Sydney Wanderers.

Both sides struggled to create opportunities in a largely lifeless first 30 minutes and young Mariners defender Trent Sainsbury earned a yellow card for an over exuberant challenge on Craig Goodwin in the 24th minute.

The match sprang to life in the 42nd minute and the visitors should have taken the lead.

Central Coast got in behind Newcastle on their right edge and Josh Rose squared the ball straight into the path of the A-league's leading marksman McBreen.

His shot went straight at Nash who fumbled but McBreen then had his follow up effort smothered by the Jets keeper.

A snapshot from Emile Heskey on 54 minutes was the home side's only real attempt on goal as the Englishman cut an increasingly isolated and forlorn figure.

Newcastle struggled without many of their regular players and the Mariners took advantage to reclaim top spot on the ladder, a point clear of Adelaide United.